Needle Holders Cardio and Thoracic Instruments

A needle holder is a surgical instrument, similar to a hemostat, needle holders can also be called needle drivers. Although similar to Hemostats, Needle holder beaks are shorter than hemostat beaks. They are used by doctors and surgeons to hold a suturing needle for closing wounds during suturing and surgical procedures. The parts of a simple needle holder are the joint, the jaws, and the handles. Most needle holders also have a clamp mechanism that locks the needle in place, allowing the user to maneuver the needle through tissues. To maintain a firm grip on the needle, the jaws are often textured and short compared to the handles, which increases the applied force following the principle of a lever. There are various types & sizes of Needle Holders. The needle-holder handle must be appropriate for the depth needed for placement of the suture. A typical Needle Holder has two short, but blunt, serrated beaks with a groove in each beak. The grooves help in providing space for the placement and retention of the needle. There is a locking mechanism at the end of the handles that securely holds the suture needle in the correct position and the needle looks like an extension of the needle holder. Types of Suture Forceps     * Needleholder forceps – Non-locking     * Needleholder forceps – Locking: The lock on a suture forceps is a convenient means for parking the needle and passing it to the surgeon. The lock does not help in holding the needle while suturing.     * Needleholder forceps - Double action: These forceps are advantageous in situations where access to an operation site is limited. The design is such that the width of the forceps is far less than those of comparable standard needle holder forceps . Needle holders forceps with the designation ""C"" are designed by Castroviejo and are fine, flat handle needle holders. The designation ""B"" in such forceps represent round handle needle holders which were introduced by Barraquer.